Senior Babe Ruth: Coke Bounces Forsgren, 7-6, Behind Coleman

Coca-Cola coach Brian Fry was happy the baseball bounced his way Thursday night.

Forsgren coach Trey Holloway said he forgot about the Senior Babe Ruth League game’s hour and forty-five minute time limit rule.

The Bottlers handed Forsgren its first summer league loss by scoring seven times in the fourth inning and holding on for a 7-6 win at Hunts Park.

Grady Coleman’s bases-loaded double proved to be the big blow as Coke battled back from a 2-0 deficit. The loss was Forsgren’s first of the summer.

“It’s a great way to end this going into the fall,” Fry said. “The kids have something to be upbeat about, and we’re looking forward to the spring.”

Forsgren scored twice in the top of the fourth and appeared to be getting the best of Coleman, Coke’s starting pitcher. Mason Gilsinger singled and raced to second on an error to open the inning.

Andrew Barley’s RBI single put Forsgren ahead 1-0, and one out later Mason Edgmon doubled down the right field line to extend the lead to 2-0.

Drew Person then lined out to quell the rally.

Forsgren starting pitcher Tyler Gray, who had pitched around Garrett Chastain’s one-out double in the first, appeared to be breezing before walking two and being victimized by a throwing error in the Coke half of the fourth.

“You can’t trade these at-bats for anything,” Fry said. “We had a lot of kids get at-bats. We’ve done some things differently, and it’s been a great time to work on those things.”

Down 7-2, Forsgren went to work in the fifth and scored four times to close to within one. Luke Melton started the comeback with a single to center, and by the time Gilsinger rapped a two-run double to center, Forsgren had closed to within one.

But Gilsinger got greedy and was out trying to stretch his double into a triple, and when Barley couldn’t check his swing, the 1:45 time limit had caught up to Forsgren — ending the game and the team’s season.

Forsgren is compiled of Southside player,s and Coke is made up exclusively of Northside players — all of whom play as much baseball as possible until the Arkansas Activities Association’s two-week dead period begins Monday.

“That’s one of the worst game we’ve played all year long,” Holloway said. “I really enjoyed the way we responded after giving up seven. We had some good at-bats. I’d really like to go out being aggressive than being passive. If I had known about the time (limit), I would have kept Gilsinger at second without a doubt.